Turnbull unfazed by poll drop

The prime minister and opposition say they feel no pressure from declining opinion polls.

Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten

The prime minister and opposition say they feel no pressure from declining opinion polls. (AAP)

Even though his own approval rating has tumbled to a record low, opposition leader Bill Shorten still says Malcolm Turnbull's honeymoon is losing its edge.

Prime Minister Turnbull says he's unruffled by the latest Newspoll showing his preferred prime minister status has slipped four points to 60 per cent.

But Mr Shorten, whose rating of 14 per cent is an all-time low for a Labor leader, says the prime minister's honeymoon since ousting Tony Abbott is starting to "edge off".

The two-party preferred result remained at 53-47 in the coalition's favour.

Mr Turnbull laughed off the poll when asked about it on Tuesday.

"I am unruffled," he told reporters in Sydney.

Mr Shorten said the prime minister's real test would come when delivering the budget in May.

"We haven't seen him make hard decisions yet," he said.

The prime minister faced a tough final week of parliament, with Labor questioning his judgment in making Mal Brough a minister and former minister Ian Macfarlane quitting the Liberals to join the Nationals.

Satisfaction with Mr Turnbull's performance dropped eight points to 52 per cent in the past fortnight, while his disapproval climbed by eight points to 30 per cent.

Mr Shorten's satisfaction rating fell to 23 per cent - the lowest for any opposition leader in 12 years.

The Labor leader said the hit to the prime minister's standing was due to voters now questioning his judgment.

But Mr Shorten himself did not feel under pressure.

"I won't quit because I don't quit," he told reporters in Sydney.

Labor was united and had seen off Mr Abbott, "arguably one of the most right-wing prime ministers in the history of federation".

Mr Abbott was reported in The Australian newspaper as putting off a decision about his parliamentary future until April, partly to avoid his seat of Warringah going to a by-election.

Former treasurer Joe Hockey - who was appointed ambassador to the United States on Tuesday - quit in September triggering a by-election last weekend in the seat of North Sydney.

Mr Hockey says he's still keen to contribute to public life.

"I still have three or four years of desire to contribute to the country in one form or another," he said an online interview with billionaire businessman Mark Bouris.

If he was to stay in parliament "it would be overwhelmingly about getting even with people that brought me down".

Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek said it was an extraordinary admission.

"The former adversaries he is talking about are the prime minister and the foreign minister - the very people he'll be having to report to as ambassador to Washington," she said.


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Source: AAP



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